Portable back-rest.



J. A. FREEMAN.

PORTABLE BACK REST.

' APPLICATION 11.31) our. 6, 1911. v 1,030,511 1; Patented June 25,1912.

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swoon flow COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. A. FREEMAN.

PORTABLE BACK REST.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 6. 1911.

1,030,551 1 Patented June 25,1912.

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J. A. FREEMAN.

' PORTABLE BACK REST.

' APPLICATION FILED OUTv 6, 1911. 1,030,51 1, Patented June 25,1912.

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QOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, c.

JOHN A. FREEMAN, 0F MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

PORTABLE BACK-REST,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J n ne 25, 1912.

Application filed October 6, 1911. Serial N 0. 653,217.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. FREEMAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Montgomery, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Alabama, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Portable Back- Rests, of which the following is aspecification.

, This invention relates to an improvement in portable backs forseats,and has particular reference to back supports for locomotive cab seatsand the like.

The principal object of this invention is to afford means upon alocomotive for supporting the backs of the engineer and fireman whensitting so as to relieve the back from the constant strain when sittingerect for hours at a time during long runs.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment for alocomotive cab seat which supports the engineers back when sitting,which may be quickly and easily detached from the cab seat and foldedinto compact form to be carried by each engineer as his own property,and which may be readily applied to any locomotive cab in which theengineer assumes control.

A further object of this invention is to provide a back capable ofattachment to a seat in either side of the cab of the locomotive withoutany modification in the structure of the back, so that the fireman may ihave a suitable back support to relieve the back from the constantstrain during long runs.

The invention still further contemplates an attachment of this characterwhich is of comparatively simple construction, may be readily folded, islight in weight and may be easily carried in one hand, and an attachmentwhich may be economically manufactured, and sold at a low cost so thatit may be acquired as the personal property of'each engineer andfireman.

Broadly, the invent-ion comprises a flexible back having a seatattaching portion at its lower end adapted for securement to the seat inthe locomotive cab, the upper end of the back being adjustably anddetachably suspended from the roof of the cab, the de tachable featureadmitting of the quick removal of the back from the roof of the cab,whereupon the flexible back may be hung outwardly through the window,and the cab seat maybe folded down, the entire device thus being outofthe way.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionof the present embodiment of the invention, the same being illustratedin the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe improved back rest. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3is a perspective view of the back rest as it appears when rolled. Fig.4; is a side elevation of the rest applied to the locomotive cab seat.Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the rest disclosing a modified form ofsuspension means for the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one meansfor attaching a row of supporting pins to the roof of the cab. Fig. 7 isa front elevation of a modified form of the back of the device. Fig. 8is a similar view disclosing another modified form of the back. Fig. 9is an edge view of the device disclosing a slight modification in itsstructure.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are designated by similarnumerals of reference throughout the several views, the.

device is disclosed, preferably, in the form of a strip of canvas ofsuitable width providing a back 10 having its upper edge turned over andstitched, as at 11, and inclosing a stretching rod 12 adapted to holdthe strip of canvas extended. A reinforcement 13 in the form of aportion of canvas, is placed over the upper edge of the back 10 midwayof the ends of the turned-over portion 11. A pair of helical or coilsprings 14: are attached at their lower ends to the upper edge of theback 10 by rings 14 pass ing through the turned-over portion 11 andabout the stretching rod 12. The springs lt are joined at their upperends by a con nector 15, the springs being spaced apart and held inparallelism by the connector, the connector being of any suitable form,but preferably, as shown, comprising a length of wire curled at its endsfor the reception of the springs 14 and having an eye at its middleportion to which is connected an adjustable suspension strap 16. Asupporting ring 17 is carried upon the upper end of the strap 16 and isadapted to detachably engage over the pin 19. The strap 16 is adjustableby a buckle 20 connecting the depending extension 2&. The extension 24depends from the lower end of the back 10 and is adapted to be loopedunder the seat to which the improved device is applied.

If preferred, the suspension means for the back 10 may be in the formdisclosed in Fig.

5 in which the helical springs 14 are arranged in longitudinal alinementand are attached directly to the supporting ring 17, while thesuspension strap 16 is carried between the springs 14 and the back 10, asnap hook 15 or other connecting means being employed between the lowerspring 14 and the strap 16. The preferred form of suspension means isadapted particularly to hold the back 10 from tilting edge-wise as thehelical springs 14 support the back at spaced points.

The pin 19 is adapted to be positioned in substantially a horizontalplane, the same being tilted upwardly at a slight angle so as to holdthe supporting ring 17 in position by the weight of the back 10 and itsadjacent parts, and to admit of the sliding of the supporting ring 17from the pin when it is desired to quickly remove or drop the back.

In place of the single supporting pin 19 disclosed inFig. 4c, ahorizontal strip or bar 25, Fig. 6, may be employed which is providedwith a plurality of horizontally spaced pins 19 which depend therefromand have their lower ends bent forwardly and slightly upward for thereception of the supporting ring 17 This bar 20 is employed when it isdesired to adjust the position of the back longitudinally above theseat.

In Fig. 7 is disclosed a slightly modified form of the device in whichthe back 10 is made up of a plurality of spaced slats 25 hingedlyconnected by suitable links 26, admitting of the rolling or folding ofthe back.

In Fig. 8 is disclosed another form of back 10, in which the supportingor stretching rod 12 carries at its ends lengths of heavy cord 27extending down to the seat portion 21 and supporting therebetween ameshing 28 of finer cord providing a fiexible'back.

In Fig. 9 is disclosed a modification in the formation of the seatportion .21 and the extension 2 l In this construction the back 10 isturned forwardly and looped upon itself to provide a seat poi'tion ofdouble thiclmess, the returned end of the seat portion 21 being turneddownwardly to provide the extension 2 1*. If preferred, the

seat portion 21 may be provided with a suitable cushion 29 of adaptableconstruction and thickness.

In application, the pin 19 is secured to the rafter A in the cab Bdirectly over the cab seat C. The back 10 is hung over the cab seat C bythe ring 17 engaging with the pin 19, and the extension 2 1 is lappedover the rear edge of the seat C and held in such position by the strap23 passing forwardly against the underside of the seat. The seat portion21 is disposed over the seat G, and has its outer end lapped down aboutthe forward edge of the seat C and held in position by engagement of thestrap 23 with the buckle 22. It is thus observed that the back rest canbe applied to the locomotive cab by simply securing the strap 23 aboutthe'seat C and hanging the supporting ring,17. over the pin 19. Inswitching, when the engineer is required to reverse his position uponthe seat C or fold the same'down out of the way, the supporting ring 17can be quickly withdrawn from the pin 19, and the back 10 hung outthrough the window of the cab,

the same being held in such position by the weight of the suspensionmeans. When the back 10 is hung through thewindow the seat C may bereadily folded down out of the way without detaching the back resttherefrom.

From the foregoing it will be observed that this improved attachment maybe rolled or folded up into compact form, the same being adapted toweigh but between two and four pounds, admitting of the carrying of thesame in one hand. WVhen the strip 25 is employed the same is adapted forsecurement across the lower edges, or between the rafters A, so that theback 10 may be adjusted longitudinally of the seat to accommodate theback of the person.

In each instance the back 10 may be of any suitable height, butpreferably of sulficient height to provide a head rest for the engineerwhen seated. I

' Having thus described the invention what I claim as new is l. Aportable back rest comprising a strip of flexible material, springsattached to the upper end of the flexible strip for supporting the samevertically, an adjustable strap connected to theupper ends of thesprings, a ring on the strap adapted for detachable engagement over afixed pin, a seat portion on the lower end of the back adapted tostretch over a seat, a flap depending from the back at the inner edge ofthe seat portion, and a strap on the flap adapted to extend beneath theunderside of the seat and engage the forward edge of the seat portion tohold the same to the seat.

2. A portable back rest comprising a strip of flexible material adaptedto be folded, suspension means attached to one end of the portion to theseat, said strap and buckle being also adapted to hold the devicetogether when folded.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- Inent around the inner edge of the seat, a nesses.

buckle carried on the outer end of the seat portion, and a strap carriedon the end of the flap adapted to pass beneath the seat and engage withthe buckle to hold the seat JOHN A. FREEMAN. Witnesses:

J. J. CAMPBELL, J. G. HAMMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

